Tying down the cargo on an open truck bed such as on a modern pickup is not always a simple task. The difficulty is in finding an appropriate frame member or opening to which a rope or line can be secured.
Modern trucks and especially pickup trucks seem in some respects to be designed more for appearance than for utility. The metal cargo compartment is streamlined with no exposed frame members or openings with the exception of rectangular openings along the top edges of the box that are intended to receive the vertical support posts of a rack. Unless the owner is willing to drill holes in the truck bed and add permanent tie-down rings, he must typically resort to running the tie-down ropes to the underside of the truck where they can be secured to the chassis or to a frame support. In some cases the rack support openings may be utilized, but the sharp edges on these openings tend to cut and fray the tie-down rope; they are also not especially convenient for this purpose because of their location inside the walls of the truck bed where the load is often in the way and covering up the side opening through which the rope must pass.
Although the owner of the truck does have the option of adding permanent tie-down rings, he is ordinarily reluctant to do so because the projecting rings tend to interfere with other uses of the truck. They also detract from the appearance of the truck.
What is needed is a means for securing a rope or line to the truck bed, utilizing only the existing openings. The means provided for this purpose should be quickly and easily installed or removed so that it can be removed when not in use.